Home > Console

How to change brightness on a PS5 – step-by-step guide

Tips for your PS5 display
Last Updated on March 18, 2024
Master the art of screen optimization with our guide on how to change brightness on a PS5, ensuring the best visual experience for your gaming sessions.
You can trust PC Guide: Our team of experts use a combination of independent consumer research, in-depth testing where appropriate - which will be flagged as such, and market analysis when recommending products, software and services. Find out how we test here.

Learning how to change brightness on a PS5 is a crucial aspect of customizing your gaming experience. Gamers often face the challenge of finding the right balance in the brightness settings of their PS5 console during gameplay. It’s a common scenario to start a gaming session and find the display either too dim or excessively bright, which can vary from one game to another.

To fully immerse yourself in the vibrant and lifelike worlds that game developers craft, it’s essential to tailor your settings, including the screen brightness. This guide will show you how to change the brightness on your PS5, enabling you to fine-tune your display for an optimal gaming experience.

Different games, as well as varying room lighting conditions, call for adjustments in screen brightness for the best visual clarity. Here, we’ll provide detailed instructions on modifying the brightness settings of your PS5, ensuring that both your game mode and home screens are visually comfortable and appealing.


Top 5 Cyber Monday deals

This year's Cyber Monday has officially kickstarted, offering up huge discounts on some of the market's leading tech products. Below, we'll list the best Cyber Monday deals we can find.

Prices and savings subject to change. Click through to get the current deal prices.


Steps to change brightness on a PS5

There are three different ways to change the brightness on a PS5. We will go through all three methods.

1

How to change brightness on a PS5 within a game

Adjusting the brightness and HDR settings while playing video games on your PS5 can significantly enhance your visual experience, making it an integral part of your gaming journey.

Here’s a fast tutorial on how to navigate the settings menu to modify these options within a game:

Step

1

Accessing the Settings menu

While in-game, press the ‘Options’ button on your PS5 controller. This will bring up the game’s main menu. Navigate to the ‘Settings’ option, which is usually indicated by a gear icon. The settings menu is your gateway to various customization options, including video and audio settings.

Step

2

Selecting Video options

In the settings menu, look for a section labeled ‘Video’ or something similar. This is typically located on the left-side menu bar. Selecting this option will take you to a range of video settings specific to the game you are playing.

Step

3

Adjusting HDR and brightness

Within the Video section, you will find options to adjust HDR (High Dynamic Range) and screen brightness. HDR settings enhance the game’s colors and contrast, providing a more vibrant visual experience. If your TV supports HDR, you can toggle this feature on or off based on your preference.

To adjust the screen brightness, look for a slider or an option labeled ‘Brightness.’ You can increase or decrease the brightness to suit your room’s lighting conditions and your personal comfort level. This adjustment is crucial, especially if you’re playing in a setting that fluctuates in lighting, or if you’re trying to balance power saving mode with optimal visibility.

Remember, these adjustments are specific to the game you’re playing and won’t affect the overall brightness settings of your PS5 home screens or other games. Adjusting brightness and HDR settings is a vital part of customizing your gaming experience, ensuring that you can enjoy your games with the best possible visual settings.

2

How to change brightness on a PS5 from the system

Adjusting the overall brightness of your PS5 outside of gaming is a simple process that can significantly improve your viewing experience, whether you’re navigating the home screen or enjoying HDR gaming.

Here’s how to modify the screen brightness through the system settings:

Step

1

Navigate to the Settings screen

From your PS5 home screen, locate and select the “Settings” icon. This is usually found at the top right of the screen and is represented by a gear symbol. The settings screen is your central hub for all system adjustments, including video and audio settings.

Step

2

Access Screen and Video options

Within the Settings menu, scroll down until you find the “Screen and Video” option. Select it to access various display settings that affect the overall visual output of your PS5.

Step

3

Adjust HDR and brightness in the Video Output section

In the “Video Output” section, scroll down to find the “Color” settings. Here, you can manage the display colors and HDR settings of your PS5. Select the “Adjust HDR” option to fine-tune the High Dynamic Range settings, which enhance the color and contrast of your display.

Step

4

Use arrow keys to change brightness

Once you are in the “Adjust HDR” settings, use the up arrow on your controller to increase the screen brightness and the down arrow to decrease it. This will adjust the HDR brightness for both your home screen and during HDR gaming.

Hdr settings adjustment screen for how to change brightness on a PS5, showing which controller buttons adjust the screen "brighter" and "darker".
Sony PlayStation 5 ‘Adjust HDR’ settings showing you how to change your console’s brightness © BGFG

Step

5

Optional: Change HDR colors

If you wish to further customize your display, you can also change HDR colors in the same section. This allows you to fine-tune the color balance and saturation to match your personal preferences or to better suit the lighting conditions of your gaming environment.

Adjusting the screen brightness and HDR settings from the PS5 system settings is a quick and straightforward way to enhance your overall experience with the console. Whether you’re browsing the home screen or engaging in HDR gaming, these settings ensure that your display is always optimized for your comfort and enjoyment.

3

How to change brightness on a PS5 from the TV

Adjusting the brightness of your PS5 gaming sessions can also be achieved through your TV settings. While the specific steps can vary depending on the TV manufacturer and model, modifying the default brightness settings is generally a straightforward process.

This method allows you to fine-tune the peak brightness and color settings to complement your PS5’s output for an enhanced gaming experience.

Here’s a general guide on how to adjust the brightness on your TV screen:

Step

1

Accessing TV settings

Using your TV remote, navigate to the ‘Settings’ or ‘Menu’ option. This is typically found as a button on the remote or through a quick menu on the TV screen. The settings menu is where you’ll find various options to adjust your TV’s picture and sound.

Step

2

Locating Picture settings

In the settings menu, look for a section labeled ‘Picture,’ ‘Picture Mode,’ or something similar. This section allows you to adjust various aspects of your TV screen’s display, including brightness, contrast, and color.

Step

3

Adjusting default brightness settings

Within the Picture settings, find the option for ‘Brightness’ or ‘Backlight.’ Adjusting this setting will change the default brightness level of your TV screen. You may also find settings for ‘Contrast’ and ‘Color’ that can be tweaked to enhance the visual quality further.

Step

4

Setting peak brightness for PS5 gaming

If available, seek an option to set the peak brightness. This setting is particularly useful for HDR gaming on your PS5, as it defines the maximum brightness level for HDR content. Adjusting this can make your games appear more vivid and lifelike.

Step

5

Experiment with different picture modes

Many modern TVs offer various picture modes such as ‘Cinema,’ ‘Sports,’ ‘Game,’ etc. Experimenting with these modes while playing on your PS5 can provide different visual experiences. The ‘Game’ mode, in particular, is often optimized for gaming and can offer a better balance of brightness, contrast, and color for your PS5 games.

Adjusting the brightness on your TV can have a significant impact on your PS5 gaming experience. It’s important to find a balance that is comfortable for your eyes and suits the lighting conditions of your gaming environment. Remember, these adjustments are specific to your TV and will affect all content displayed on it, not just your PS5 games.

Can I turn my PlayStation brightness down?

Yes, you can turn the PlayStation brightness down by heading to settings and adjusting the high dynamic range (HDR).

How do I fix the dim screen on my PS5?

You can fix the dim screen issue on your PS5 by increasing the brightness levels.

Conclusion

Customizing your PS5 settings, including adjusting brightness, can help improve your gaming experience. By following these steps, you can fine-tune your display settings to suit your preferences and the requirements of different games, ensuring that you get the most out of your PlayStation 5.

Maria is a contributer to PC Guide, highly-interested in productivity and AI tools, and ensuring the inclusion of detailed product info and coverage across versus pieces.